Lay motion for looms



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' pu MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR mvmucus; came/m7 y 1968 R. B. GOLOBART 3,384,130

LAY MOTION FOR LOOMS 7 Filed Feb. 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTORRand/v BALAGUE? GOLOBA/PT United States Patent 3,384,130 LAY MOTION FORLOOMS Ramon Balaguer Golobart, 86 Calle Caspe, Barcelona, Spain FiledFeb. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 527,797 Claims priority, application Spain, Feb.17, 1965,

9,8 4 1 Claim. (Cl. 139-490) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventionrelates to an improved mechanism for actuating the reciprocal movementof the lay in weaving machines.

In looms provided with shuttles or other means for traversing thefilling yarn, the lay reciprocates at intervals which are very short inrelation to the entire weaving cycle. In looms using gripping meanssecured to a stem which goes into and out of the shed, the insertion ofthe Weft constitutes an important part of the operating cycle of themachine. During said entire time, the lay remains generally behind saidstem so as not to recede much behind the heddles which would increasethe height of the shed, and not to increase the stroke of the elementactuating the gripper. The dimensions of said element, the complexconstruction of the loom, and the inertia forces acting on the mechanismactuating said gripper, generally reduce the time during which thegripper is outside of the shed, to a minimum. It is during said brieftime interval that the lay must be actuated.

The gripping means and its actuating mechanism have normally a muchsmaller cross-section than a shuttle; therefore, the motion of the laycan be considerably reduced in looms operating with grippers. Theconventionally used lays are heavy and produce vibrations by theiroscillating back and forth movements.

When such lay pushes the filling against the fell, it does not alwaysoperate in a constant plane. Gradually, a concave or convex longitudinaldeformation may develop which causes the lay to strike more at its endsthan in the center, or vice versa. Some types of fabrics do not requirelooms of large dimensions. In such looms, the movement of the lay mustbe not only fast but also short. Similarly, in looms which produce terrycloth, such as towels, the movements of the lay must be variable andadjustable, and especially in shuttleless looms, the stroke of the layshould be short.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide animproved lay actuating mechanism which avoids the recited drawbacks.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent on consideration of thespecification and claim.

The invention provides a lay which remains completely flat over thewhole width of the fabric and ensures that in the case of variations inforce of the blows such forces are absolutely constant, therebyproducing a fabric of perfect appearance. In small looms with shuttlewhich must operate at high speeds, the recited results are obtainedwithout any risk of deformation.

The lay according to the invention comprises an oscillatingreed-carrying beam which is supported at two points at its ends and hasa continuous open or closed profile of triangular, angular, or any othercross-section suitable to increase the resistance against deformationand torsion; in this way, each stroke of the beam, which may be calledlay beam, is exactly equal to the following, and the plane surface ofthe profile, when used in looms with shuttle, favors the free and guidedpassage of the shuttle.

The reed is attached .to the upper part of the lay beam along its entirelength, and two divergent arms are secured to the ends of the beam whicharms carry at their ends rollers which are in contact with cams. One ofsaid rollers rides on the periphery of a cam whose most protrudingradial portion will cause the arm to oscillate and rise so as todisplace the lay beam with the reed forwardly as the cam shaft rotates.The periphery of the other cam has a groove so arranged that, oncontinued rotation of the cam shaft, the roller of the second armengages said groove and actuates the return movement of the reed.Therefore, due to the continuous rotation of the cam shaft, the lay beammakes :an oscillating back and forth movement in uniform strokes eachtime it grasps the weft thread.

The cam shaft is driven from a drive shaft provided with a flywheel toprevent by its inertia fluctuations in the rocking movement of the laybeam.

When the rhythm of the movement of the lay should be varied in thebeating-up motion, e.g., for the formation of loops or the like, the camshaft is provided with at least two sets of such cams which are axiallydisplaceable. Their peripheral dimensions are adapted to the differentpredetermined rocking paths of the lay. For the axial displacement ofsaid earns, a fork may be provided which pushes a sleeve carrying thecams and which adjusts the required position of said sleeve byoscillating movement of said fork produced in suitable manner from theloom.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a lateral elevation view ofone embodiment of the invention showing the lay in retracted positionfor the passage of the weft thread;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of said lay, part cut away;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in the active position;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing means for varying the movementof the lay, and

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the mechanism.

Referring now first to FIGS. 1-3, a reed 1 is secured to the lay beam 2by means of screws 3 (FIG. 2) whereby the lay beam 2 oscillates in aback and forth movement on shafts 4, 5 supported in bearings 6, 7. Atthe supporting shaft 5, there are secured two arms 8 and 9, which areprovided with rollers 10 and 11. In neutral position, roller 10 rides onthe periphery of cam 12, and roller 11 on that of cam 13, thus causingopen vertical position of the lay 2 and, accordingly, of reed 1.

Said two earns 12 and 13, which latter is shown in FIG. 5, are rotatedon shaft 14 which is driven over gears 15, 16 from a drive shaft 17provided with a flywheel 18.

On rotation of shaft 17, the flywheel 18 also rotates and accumulatespower which is transmitted through pinion 16 to the toothed wheel 15driving the shaft 14 which in turn drives the two cams 12 and 13. Cam 12has an eccentric portion 12' which raises the roller 10 of the arm 8 soas to oscillate the supporting shaft 5 of the lay beam 2 with the reed1; thereby, the filling 19 is pushed against the line of cloth formation20 (FIG. 3). Continuing rotation of shaft 14 forces the other cam 13 toengage the roller 11 in its peripheral groove 13; as said cam furtherrotates, it raises the roller 11 of the arm 9 which causes the lay-beam2 with the reed 1 to rock on the supporting shaft 5 in oppositedirection until it returns to its vertical open position (FIG. 1),thereby completing the normal operating cycle.

FIG. 4 shows, by way of example, an arrangement with change of cams ifit is desired to change the strokes of the lay beam. In this case, a cam21 of different periphery is associated with cam 12, and a cam 22 isadded to cam 13, which cam 22 has also a circumference different fromthat of cam 13. Said cams form a block or unit rotating with shaft 14and can be axially displaced by a key 23 so to bring cams 21 and 22 incontact with the rollers 10 and 11. Said cams Will be axially displacedduring rotation when said rollers are on a sector of conformingperiphery in order to avoid sudden sharp change from the one to theother position. The axial displacement may be carried out, e.g. by meansof a fork 24 whose prongs 25 engage a groove 26 of the cam block. Thefork receives a pivotal movement on pin 27 by means of arm 28 which maybe actuated from a suitable elernent of the loom.

I claim:

1. In a beating up mechanism for weaving machines which comprises a laypivotally supported at its two ends, a reed carried lengthwise by saidlay, at least two rotating cams mounted on a common cam shaft, a pair ofdivergent arms secured to said lay, each arm carrying at its end aroller riding on one of said cams, said cams being arranged to impart tosaid lay and reed a reciprocating movement, a drive shaft driving saidcam shaft and a flywheel on said drive shaft, said two rotating camscomprising a first cam having a projection producing forward movement ofthe lay and reed into beating up position, and a second cam having adepression angularly displaced with respect to the position of theprojection in said first cam receiving the cooperating roller when theother roller is in contact with said projection, said second cam havinga projection following said depression so as to cause the backwardmovement of lay and reed into picking position,

the improvement wherein a cam of different periphery is added to saidfirst cam, forming therewith a first cam set, and a cam of differentperiphery is added to said second cam, forming therewith a second camset, said two cam sets forming an axially displacea'ble unit rotatingwith said cam shaft for selective engagement of said first and secondcams, or of said cams of different periphery with said rollers, there byaltering the operation of said lay and reed.

References Qited UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,594 2/1911 Insinger 139-1901,749,840 3/1930 Nordstrorn 139-191 X 1,980,527 11/1934 Hewton 139l90 X2,119,413 5/1938 Batchelder 139-1 2.399.728 5/1946 Fletcher l39902,624,372 1/1953 Budzyna et a1. 139-19O 2.956.588 10/1960 Pfarrwaller139126 X 2,956,592 10/1960 Pfarrwaller 139191 2,152,982 4/1939 Watson etal 13980 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,704 1894 Great Britain.

28.290 1909 Great Britain.

311,886 5/1929 Great Britain.

3,937 1875 Great Britain.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES KEE CHI, Assistant Exan'ziner.

